The SlimFast diet plan allows you to have three generous meals with intermittent healthy snack bars. This helps boost your metabolism, curb untimely hunger pangs, and improve satiety. This meal replacement shake is made of whey protein, vitamins, and minerals. It is also low on calories and helps achieve fast weight loss. This article tells you everything about the SlimFast diet, a sample diet plan, and the pros and cons. Swipe up! SlimFast includes different formulas to add variety to the diet. It has different programs based on the need – including the SlimFast Keto Shakes, Diabetes Weight Loss Shakes, Advanced Energy System to boost energy levels, and Advanced Nutrition Smoothies Mix that is ideal for the low-carb diet. It also contains a starter pack for those who want to kick start their weight loss journey. The SlimFast Advanced Vitality Pack supports metabolism, alleviates fatigue and tiredness, and helps with weight loss. The next section helps you understand how the SlimFast diet works.
How Does The SlimFast Diet Work?
The SlimFast diet is an upgraded weight loss program that focuses on the 3-2-1 plan. The principle of this approach is to include 3 healthy SlimFast snacks, 2 healthy SlimFast shakes, and 1 healthy meal of your choice. By replacing regular meals and snacks with the low-calorie variants, you will be able to lose weight and kick start your body’s metabolic processes (1). On average, the SlimFast diet provides 1200 calories for women and 1600 calories for men per day. The SlimFast diet plans six meals a day through one full meal (500 calories for women, 800 calories for men), two shakes or smoothies, and three 100-calorie snacks. This diet kick starts your metabolism, curbs hunger, and offers complete satisfaction. SlimFast offers a variety of 7-day meal planners that can be downloaded from their website. It also has a 30-minute workout regime to suit your weight loss goals.
Can It Help With Weight Loss
If followed as per the guidance, the SlimFast diet does help with weight loss. It works by lowering one’s calorie intake and encouraging one to replace their high-calorie conventional meals with protein-rich shakes, snack bars, and porridges. A study showed that a very low-calorie diet with restricted carbohydrates (3-10% of total calorie intake) and restricted fat helps lower body weight by 8% in the short-run (2), (3). A study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that people on the meal replacement SlimFast diet plan lost weight effectively when compared with those on a conventional but structured diet plan (4). A study published in the British Medical Journal compared the effectiveness of four commercial weight-loss programs in obese and overweight individuals. Dieters on the SlimFast diet plan lost an average of 6 pounds in 4 weeks, along with significant fat loss (5). Another study showed that the SlimFast meal replacement therapy decreased body weight by 7% and reduced BMI from 40kg/m2 to 37kg/m2 over a six-month treatment period (6). SlimFast shakes are rich in protein. One sachet of the shake contains 26 grams of protein per serving. It contains whey protein isolates for optimum supply. Studies show that a high-protein diet increases leptin sensitivity and results in significant weight loss (7). Furthermore, one review of six studies showed that meal replacement programs like that of SlimFast result in sustainable weight loss in long-term weight management (8). In the following section, we have listed the foods you can eat on the SlimFast diet.
Foods To Eat
The main focus of the SlimFast diet is to make meal replacement shakes a part of the major meal. You also will have healthy 100-calorie snacks that help curb hunger pangs. The SlimFast balanced diet emphasizes filling your plate with 50% of vegetables and fruits, 25% of lean protein, and the rest 25% with whole grains. The following options will help you plan your meals:
Dairy and dairy products: low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, and low-fat milk Legumes: chickpeas, black beans, and lentils
In addition to including these foods in your diet, you also need to avoid certain foods.
Foods To Avoid
No foods are restricted in the SlimFast diet plan. But, as it focuses on limiting your calorie intake, the following food groups must be limited or even avoided.
Sugar and sugary products Aerated drinks or carbonated beverages Processed foods High-fat fried snacks Baked foods Alcoholic beverages (although a glass of wine is allowed now and then)
The following section includes a sample diet plan. It will help you prepare your meal within an estimated calorie budget.
A Sample SlimFast Diet Plan
Diet Plan 1
Diet Plan 2
Diet Plan 3
The next section shares some recipes that can add some variety to your routine. Enjoy the healthiest foods within your calorie budget.
Healthy SlimFastRecipes
1. Mediterranean Greek Salad
Serves: 2; Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 5 min; Total Time: 20 min
1 large cucumber ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes ½ cup chopped Roma tomatoes ½ cup sliced red onions ½ cup crumbled feta 3 tablespoons sliced black olives 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons lime juice ¼ teaspoon black pepper Salt to taste
2. Savory Herb Whole Grain Crackers
Serves: 6; Prep Time: 15 min; Cooking Time: 15 min; Total Time: 30 min
1 cup whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons sesame seeds 2 teaspoons mixed herbs, like oregano and basil
3. Chicken Breast With Brussel Sprouts
Serves – 2;Prep Time – 15 min;Cooking Time – 25 min;Total Time – 40 min
Ingredients
8 ounces boneless chicken 3 teaspoons salt 2 stems broccoli 2 spoons olive oil 2 spoons fresh lemon juice ¼ spoon freshly ground pepper 3 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts 2 stalks celery ¼ cup hazel stalks ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley 1 ounce parmesan cheese
How To Prepare
SlimFast Shopping List
Following a SlimFast diet plan is easy. You need to start with stocking up on SlimFast products along with other foods. We have included them below.
SlimFast meal replacements: SlimFast meal shakes, cookies, meal replacement bars, porridge mixes Vegetables: Broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potato, potato (in moderation), asparagus, leafy greens, and Brussel sprouts, capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower, aubergine, all gourds, and okra Lean meats: Beef, poultry, pork, and lamb Fruits: Apple, pear, papaya, cantaloupe, banana, berries, and grapes Dairy and dairy products: Low-fat milk, cottage cheese, unsweetened nut milk, and yogurt Whole grains: Quinoa, steel-cut oats, brown rice, barley, and buckwheat Nuts: almonds, Brazilian nuts, pistachio nuts, pecan nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds Oils: Olive, avocado, and cold-pressed coconut oils
The SlimFast diet plan is simple and effective. Like every other diet plan, it does have its share of pros and cons. We will explore them in the upcoming sections.
Pros
The SlimFast diet plan is an effective and sustainable weight loss program. It gives results if one follows it properly. Reduction in body weight may alleviate high blood pressure, reduce cardiovascular disease risk, and help in the treatment of diabetes (8), (9),(10).
The SlimFast diet schedule also encourages one to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Studies have shown that meal replacement plans, along with a structured exercise regime, help shed pounds and improve different biochemical markers (10).
Cons
Over-dependence on meal replacement shakes could keep you away from natural and seasonal food sources. The program is expensive to be followed over extended periods. It could limit healthy cooking options. There is no mention of portion control in healthy meal plans. It does not mention weight maintenance plans. The diet mostly focuses on restricting calories with a high-protein meal shake. It may not be suitable for people with kidney disorders, gout, etc.
Should You Try The SlimFast Diet Plan For Weight Loss?
The SlimFast diet plan is an excellent way to reduce pounds and get your body in shape. It is a simple plan that works without compromising on your meal intake. It emphasizes eating at regular intervals to boost your metabolism and curb hunger pangs – promoting sustainable weight loss. The SlimFast meal replacement diet plan easily fits into your busy schedule and gives you the exact results that you wish for. However, there is no scientific evidence on the long-term effectiveness of the SlimFast diet plan. Hence, it is recommended you check with your doctor prior. How many carbs are in SlimFast? Depending on the kind of SlimFast product you opt for, it may have between 7-25 gms of carbohydrate content. Does SlimFast work in 2 weeks? With an estimated weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week, you can begin to notice changes around 2 weeks with SlimFast. Is Slim Fast keto effective? The SlimFast Keto Shakes are especially made for a keto-friendly diet routine.
